Sheet feeding apparatus



sept. is, 1934. L C, DAWSON 1,973,749

SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Filed March 21. 1930. 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR02u-ern Cbwv DAM-ong Sept. 18, 1934. J. c. DAWSON SHEET FEEDINGAPPARATUS Filed March 21. 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVENTOR C .n .1 v .0.41l l 2, .Il NN u* Sept. 18, 1934.

SHEET FEEDIN fammmus- J. C. DAWSON Filed March 21, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 3Sept. 18, A1934. J, Q DAWSON 1,973,749

SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Filed March 21. 195o 5 sheets-sheet 4 211 iz 1]lrluv uw si i "all" ze. 24 kif-- fj '24' i z5.

INVE/vrcm JOSEPH Co N/v /qwso/v.

Sept. 18, 1934. J, Q DAWSON 1,973,749

SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Filed March 21, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS.Tasa PH c 'omv .Dfi ws oN.

W Mm

Patented Sept. 18, 1934 UNITED STATES SHEET FEEDING APP! LRATUS JosephConn Dawson, London, England, assigner,

by mesne assignments, to The Cleveland Folding Machine Company, MentorTownship, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application March 21,

1930, Serial No. 437,774

In Great Britain April 6, 1929 14 Claims.

This invention relates to sheet feeding apparatus comprising a feedtable having feeding elements tending to move sheets forwardly on astraight line, preferably one in which the feed surface is composed of aseries of driven rollers arranged in parallelism thereon; and a sideguide by contact with which the sheets so fed are correctly registeredin their travel. Such sheet feed tables are used with particularadvantage in connection with folding machines, printing presses and thelike. In such tables as previously constructed, the side guide referredto is arranged parallel to one of the longitudinal sides of the tableand the feed rolls of the table are set at an angle thereto or inoblique arrangement on the table so as to-cause the sheets travelingthereover to move to the side fitted with the side guide. Where tapesare used instead of rollers, the tapes are arranged obliquely for asimilar purpose. With this arrangement, therefore, the side guide canonly beplaced at one side of the table and the lateral movement isrelatively limited.

One object of this invention is to provide a feed arrangement doing awaywith the limitations of the feed table above referred to by theprovision ofv a side guide which can be readily adjusted for operationat any point across the feed table, and is reversible, thus enabling thesheets to be registered along either side of the feed table. A

Another object of the invention is to provide means for impartingsidewise impetus to the sheets in order to insure their registry withthe side guide where the feeding means beneath the sheets Works in adirection parallel with the side guide, as through feed rolls arrangedat right angles to the side guide or tapes arranged parallel therewith.

For the use of a reversible side guide according to this invention therollers constituting the feed surface of the table are not arrangedobliquely, but are set at right angles to the feed direction of thetable and in the case of tapes, they are j set parallel to the feeddirection, and the side guide is constituted by a bar lying at rightangles to the rollers or parallel to the tapes and provided With ahorizontal flange on either side thereof. At each end this bar isprovided with a bracket fitted to slide on a transverse bar secured ateach end of the table so as to enable this side guide to be moved acrossthe table and secured in position at any point between its sides or atone side or the other. In order to cause the sheets to be drawn towardsthis side guide an (Cl. Wil- 52) additional inside or sheet deflectingbar-is provided at some distance along the said side guide. Thisadditional bar is preferably likewise adapted to slide on the crossmembers supporting the side guide or is otherwise associated with thelatter. At a number of selected points this inclined bar is providedwith runners, preferably rollers of rubber, which are arranged obliquelyto the side guide and extend down from the foot of the bar into contactwith the feed rolls or with a tape of the table opposite the pointsreferred to. Each of'these runners is with advantage rotatably andyieldingly journalled in the forked foot of a clamp shaped to embracethe bar and adapted to be clamped thereto by a binding screw or thelike. 'I'hese runners and their holders therefore, of which there may beany desired number, can be slid along and secured at any chosen point ofthe bar in contact with any desired roller of the table where rollerfeed is used, and the point of contact on such rollers may likewise bereadily varied. An arrangement of lthe kind described will enable eitherside of the feed table to be used for regl istering by applying the sideguide and then fitting the runner bar thereto in the requisite manner.

The additional bar above referred to may of course be associated withany known side guide or form part thereof. On feed tables in which thefeed rolls are as hitherto arranged in an oblique manner, the runnersabove referred to may be replaced by balls which may be of steel or anyother chosen material in order to enable'the feed of the sheets to beinfluenced in the manner referred to for instance in the specificationof patent to Hitchcock 1,680,044. When balls are em ployed the runnerbar forms part of the side guide which is provided with holes,preferably elongated, through which the balls can pass into contact withthe feed rolls, and the clamps above referred to have holes in which theballs are held and are pivotally and movably fitted so as to enable thepointsof contact between the balls and the rollers to be adjusted byadjusting the ball holders as may be required and securing them in thedesired position. A

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example in theaccompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows in side elevation a feed table supplying a paper foldingmachine of a well known type and fitted with a reversible side guidearrangement according to one form of this invention.

Fig. 2- is a plan view of the same.

Figs. 3 and 4 are detail elevational views of the slidable outside baror side guide proper, partly in section.

Figs. 5 and 6 are right angle detail elevational views showing therunners 'in theform of rollers fitted to the ends of the deflecting bar.

Figs. 'l and 8 are similar views of the adjustable runners mounted onsaid inside bar between its ends.

Fig. 9 is a plan of a form of side guide combined with a modified Aformof adjustable runner or ball holders.

Fig. 10 is a part sectional elevation taken on line X-X of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken substantiallyonline 4XI-IU of Fig.9.

Fig. 12 shows in perspectiveview another form of an adjustable ballguide for attachment to an existing side lay.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line XIII- XIII of Fig.12.`

Fig. 14 shows-in perspective an adjustable side lay fitted with amodified form of sheet influencing members or ball'smoother guides.

Fig. 15 shows in enlarged section a detail of the ball smoother fitting.p

Fig. 16 is a fragmental plan view illustrating another embodiment of myinvention as applied to a feed table in which the sheet moving elementsare tapes arranged parallel with the side guide, the table beingarranged to feed sheets with their guide edges to the right.

Fig. 17 is a corresponding view of the other side of the same tablearranged to feed sheets with their guide edges to the left.

Fig. 18 is a vertical sectional view' on a larger scale, the sectionbeing taken substantially on the line XVIII-XVIIIof Fig. l'l, and

Fig. 19 is a horizontal sectional detail view taken on the lineXVIIII-XVIIII of Fig. 18.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 it will be seen that the feed table 10comprises feed rollers 12, which may be driven by any suitable means. asfor instance by an endless belt running over end shafts 91 and 92 andover idler pulleys or shafts 93 so positioned as to insure aconsiderable area of frictional contact of the belt against theperipheries of the rolls l2. The shaft 91 may carry at one extremity agear 94 to which driving force is transmitted by any suitable gear trainfrom a motor (not shown). The feed rolls 12 are arranged at right anglesto the side frames 14 and that two rails 11 of square or rectangularsection extend across the feed table l0 parallel to the feed rolls 12and are rigidly held above the table 10 by short pillars 13 seated uponthe side frames 14 of the feed table 10. Positioned at right angles tothe rolls 12 and extending along the whole of the feed table on one sidethereof is a bar l5 of flat rectangular section (Figs. 4 and 8)scalloped out to clear the rolls 12 and adjustably mounted at either endupon the rails 11 by means of brackets 16 (Figs. 1, 2, 3- and 4). Theupper part of each bracket 16 hasv jaws 1'1 shaped to slidably fit onthe rail 11 a milled headed clamping screw 17' being passed through thecenter of the upper jaw to clamp the bar 15 in its required position.''Ihe bracket 16 has downwardly extending members 18 slotted to receivethe bar 15 and preferably riveted through to rigidily hold the same.Attached to the bar 15 on either side by rivets or other means are rightangle members 19 forming a double flange along the length of adjustableinside orsheet the bar 15 and constituting retainers on the side guideor lay.

An inner or sheet deflecting bar 20 of square or rectangular section isalso slidably mounted at veach end upon the rails 11 by means ofbrackets 21 (Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6). The upper portion of each bracket 21consists of wide upper and lower jaws 22 bolted or riveted to either endof the rail 20 on one side and embracing the rail 11 on the other side,being clamped thereto by a milled headed screw 23. The downwardlyextending -portion 24 of each collar 21 is bifurated to receive a steelor rubber roller 25 which is journalled in bearings mounted in slots 24'and contacts with one of the end rollers 12 on the feed table 10.Adjustably mounted upon-the rail 20 between its ends are a number ofclamps 26 (Figs.

- 7 and 8) each consisting of a member 26' havingA jaws 27 adapted toembrace the rail 20 and `c1amped thereto by a milled headed bindingscrew 28 and of a bifurcated downward extension 29 adapted tov carry arimner or rubber roller 30 journalled in slots 29' thereof.

In operation the bar l5 carrying the side lays 19 is mounted on therails 1l by means of the brackets 16 and clamped thereto bythe screws17' to one side of the feed table 10. The rail 20 adapted to lie at anangle to the side guide l5 as shown in Fig. l, is then clamped to therails 11, and upon it are adjusted a number of the rollers 30, therollers 25 being respectively in contact with the feed rolls at each endof the table 10. The rollers 30 are positioned 'to bear on the sheetabove selected feed rolls l2 being preferably set slightly to the rearof the center of each roll in relation to the direction of travel. Inthis manner any forward dip in the sheet or tendency to cling to therolls 12 is obviated whilst by reason of the rollers 25 and 30 beingjournalled in the slots 29 the only pressure exerted upon the sheet isthe actual weight of each roller.

As each sheet is fed forward by the rolls l2 the line of rollers 30carried by the inclined bar 20 and set to converge with the side lay 15at a point ahead of the travel of the sheet tends to gently force thesheet against the side lay and to maintain it square to the direction oftravel until it passes between the fold rolls B. A further series ofguide rollers (not shown) carried in clamps similar to the clamps 26 maybe attached to the rail 11 adjacent to the fold rolls B and set parallelto the feed rolls 12. These will serve to control the forward edge ofthe conveyed sheet and subsequently the whole surface thereof to preventany tendency to buckle immediately before it is gripped by the foldrolls B.

It will be observed that the arrangement described enables the bar 15 tobe readily moved to any position transversely of the feed rolls 12 byloosening the screws l'l' which clamp the brackets 16 to the rails 11,and sliding the whole side lay to the required position, first havingremoved the bar 20 with all the roller guides carried thereby. 'I'hedouble sided flange 19 forms the requisite top guard or retainer for thesheets on either side of the feed table l0. By means of the brackets 21and clamping screws 23 the bar 20 carrying the runner guides can then befitted in the correct position relative to the side lay 15, thusenabling either side or any part of thel feed table to be used'foraccurate registration of the sheets. When the side guide is used forfeeding sheets with their guide edges to the right, the bar 20 is, ofcourse, positioned to the left of the side guide at an anglereverse tothat of the bar y inFig. 2.

A modified side guide arrangement is shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11. Inthis fitting the runner' bar and side guide are formed as a unit,comprising a single plate 44 which is provided with a lip 46 in a'wellknown manner. The opposite side of the plate rests upon a block 54 whichextends the length of the plate 44 and is seated upon the table frame 41thus forming an abutment or lay for the left hand edge of the sheetbeing conveyed toward the fold rolls. Bolted to the block 54 are two ormore brackets 55 which are in turn bolted to the side 'of the frame 41and so rigidly hold the block 54 in position. A series of ellipticalslots 56 are provided in the plate 44 and over each of these slots arepositioned ball guide plates 57 pivotally held by milled headed screws58 which, passing through both the plate 57 and the plate 44, screw intoholes 54' drilled into the block 54 and suitably tapped to receive them.A shoulder 59 provided on each screw 58 serves to clamp the guide plates57 and plate 44 in the required position. Each guide plate is furtherprovided with a hole 60 in which is placed a steel ball 53 which,passing through its respective slot 56 in the plate 44, rests upon theparticular feed roll 42 over which it is set.

By this arrangement the position of the balls relative to the feed rollscan be readily and nely adjusted by slackenng each screw 58 and swingingthe guide plates 57 about their respective pivots, thus traversing theballs 53 in the slots 56 to the required position. y

In Figs. 12 and 13 illustrating a method of fitting a ball guideattachment to an existing side lay plate a plate 61 is provided shapedwith an upturned lip 62 and a further bent up portion 63 aft one endforming a mouth to receive the sheet at the commencement of its travelalong the feed table. The plate 61 is also provided with holes 6la forballs 53 as previously described. Steel blocks 64 are xed on the uppersurface of the plate 62 by welding or other methods. A slot 65 is cut ineach block 64 at a corresponding angle to that of the lip 70 formingpart of the original lay plate 69 and a hole is drilled and tappedthrough the top face of each block to receive a milled headed screw 66.To attach the ball guide to the original lay plate, the blocks 64 areslipped into position upon the lip 70 and the screws 66 adjusted to holdthe plate immovable. The steel balls 53 are then dropped into positionand function as previously descrbed.

A further modied fitting is shown in Figs. 14 and 15. The lay plate 44is shaped and attached to the feed table by the screw tting 45, 48, 31in a well known manner. In this form, however, the brackets 45 carryextension pieces 72 which may be adjustable thereon and terminate injaws 73 each surmounted by a boss 74 in which is tapped a hole to carrya binding screw 75. A circular rod 76 passes through the jaws 73 and isheld therein by means of the clamping screws 75. Carried upon the rod 76are a series of holders or ball smoother guides, one only of which isshown. Each consists of a member 77 cut away to an angle at its lowerend to form a mouth 79 and constructed to slidably fit upon the rod 76-being clamped in position thereon by means of the binding screw 78.Extending at right angles from the member 77 is a further portion 77awhich terminates in an upwardly inclined lip 79a and is provided with awalled recess 52 which serves to retain and guide a steel ball 53 aspreviously described.

In operation each ball smoother guide is positioned on the rod 76 sothat the ball 53 carried therein rests upon a feed roll 42 slightly tothe rear of the axis thereof whilst the underfaceof the extension piece77a is held slightly above the surface of the feed table. The mouth 79of the extension 77a receives the edge "of each sheet as it is conveyedforward and the steel balls 53 guide and control the sheet as previouslydescribed whilst the extension piece 77a serves to hold down the sheetpassing beneath it thus obviating any tendency the sheet may have tobuckleprior to it being seized by the fold rolls.

Referring now to Figs. 16 to 19 inclusive, I have illustrated in thesefigures the use of a bar 20a mounted upon brackets 21a which areslidable upon the rails 1l and may be clamped in various positions ofadjustment thereupon by set screws 23a in a manner similar to that shownin Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6. This bar is illustrated in connection with afeed table comprising endless tapes 80 running over rollers 81 and 82,one of which may be positively driven by any suitable means, as forinstance by a gear 95, connected by suitable gears with a motor (notshown). However, it will be apparent that this bar could be employed toadvantage upon a table similar to that of Fig. 2, or upon any other typeof table in which the sheet moving elements tend to produce travel ofthe sheets parallel to the side guide rather than at a slight anglethereto as is common practice.

As in the rst described form of the invention I employ as runners,wheels 30a. Each of these wheels has a spindle 83 which is mounted invertical slots in spaced legs 84 depending from a two-sided brackethaving a central wedge-shaped portion 85 and pairs of oppositelyextending upper and lower lips 86, either pair of which is adapted toreceive the bar 20a and to slide thereupon. The bracket may be securedin any desired position along the length of the bar by threading downthe corresponding set screw 87. It will be observed by referenceparticularly to Fig. 19 that the Wedge-shaped portion 85 of the bracketcauses the latter, when pushed inwardly against the bar 20a to assume anangular position, thereby bringing runner wheel 30a into angularrelation with the bar 20a and hence with the direction of feed of thesheets, this angular position of the individual runners having the sameeffect of drawing the sheets toward the side guide as does the angularposition of the bar 20 in Fig. 2. I am enabled by this means however toapply my invention to a feed table in which the feeding elements arerelatively narrow tapes.

In Fig. 17 the feed table is set up to handle sheets with their guideedges toward the left. The side guide and the bar 20a`may be moved toother positions transversely of the table, as in the case of the firstdescribed form. Now, should the operator desire to feed sheets withtheir guide edges toward theright, thereby enabling him to reverse thedirection of the rst fold by merely turning the sheets over, the setscrews 23 are loosened and the bar 20a is removed, the side guide 15 isslid across the table to the position shown in Fig. 16, the bar 20a putback upon the rails 11 to the left of the side guide, and the runnerbrackets removed and put back on the opposite side of the bar 20a, asillustrated in Fig. 16. The angle of the runners 30a is therebyreversed, and they are thus positioned to direct the sheets toward theside guide as they travel over the table.

IndFigs. ll, 18and '15 a sheet of paper is indicated at P. i

While inthe foregoing description and in the accompanying drawings Ihave illustrated more or less in detail certain speciflc. embodiments ofthe invention, I desire it to be understood that such detail disclosureshave been resorted to primarily for the purposeof fully illustrating theinvention'in accordance with the requirements of the statute, and arenot Vto l be construed as amounting to' limitations upon the scope ofthe invention.

Havingthus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a feed table, means for imparting feeding movement to the sheets,a side guide having sheet guiding and retaining surfaces on both sidesthereof, a pair of spaced rails mounted at their ends upon the tabletransversely to the direction of movement of the'sheets thereupon, andmeans for adjustably supporting said guide upon said rails, whereby theguide may be moved transversely of the table into various positions .ofad- Justment.

2. In a feed table, means for imparting feeding movement to the sheetsthereupon, means for guiding the movement of the sheets along the tablewith their guide edges toward either the right or the left, and meanssupported independently of said guide means adapted to be used uponeither side of the table selectively f or drawing the sheets-outwardlytoward the guide and holding them in contact therewith.

3. In a feed table, means ior imparting feeding movement to the sheetsthereupon, means for guiding the movement of the sheets along the tablewith their guide edges toward either the right or the left, and meanssupported independently of said guide means comprising runner wheelsadapted tobe positioned upon either side of the table selectively withthe plane of each wheel directed forwardly and outwardly, whereby thesheets are drawn outwardly toward the guide and held in contacttherewith.

4. A side guide for use upon sheet feeding tables, comprising avertically arranged strip having guide surfaces on either side thereof,and angle barssecured to said strip on opposite sides thereof above saidguide surfaces, said bars forming sheet retainers. 4

5. In a feed table, the combination with a series of cylindrical drivensheet supporting and feeding rollers extending across said table, asupporting bar mounted above the rollers, runners adapted tofrictionally engage the rollers of the sheets fed thereby, and means onthe supporting bar for carrying the runners and adjusting said runnersindividually with respect to said bar, whereby their points ofengagement with their respective rollers may be shifted forwardly orbackwardly.

6. In a feed table, the combination with a series of cylindrical drivensheet supporting and feeding rollers extending diagonally across saidtable, of a supporting bar mounted above the rollers, holders mounted toswing horizontally upon said bar for adjustment relative to the latterand the rollers, and runners loosely mounted in the free ends of saidholders adapted to'frictionally engage certain of said rollers, wherebythe adjustment of each holder adjusts the runner carried thereby withrespect to its roller.

7. In a feed table, the combination with a series u: cylindrical drivensheet supporting and feesding rollers extending across said table, of asupporting bar mounted above the rollers, said bar having longitudinalslots therethrough, holders mounted to swing 4horizontally upon said barfor adjustment relative to the latter and the rollers,

and balls loosely mounted in the free ends of said holders and extendingthrough said slots for frictional engagement with' the rollers, wherebythe adjustment of each holder vadJusts the ball carried thereby withrespect to its roller.

8. In a feed table, means for advancing sheets thereupon, a pair ofspaced rails extending transversely of the table from one side to theother thereof, a side guide and a supporting bar mounted upon said railsfor independent movement transversely of the table, and a plurality ofrunner wheels mounted-uponsaid bar with their planes inclined forwardlyand outwardly toward said side guide.

' 9. In combination, a frame, a feed table fixed thereupon, said tablecomprising means for imparting feeding movementto the sheets, a sideguide, means for supporting the side guide at either side of the table,a supporting bar adjustably mounted upon the frame independently of saidguide, said bar being adapted to be positioned upon either side of theguidewith its forward end converging toward the guide, and.

means carried by the said bar for drawing the sheets toward said guidein eitherY position of the bar, whereby sheets may be fed with theirguide edges toward the left or the right side of the table. 1

10. In a feed table, means for advancing sheets thereupon, a side guide,a supporting bar 'extending longitudinally of the table, runner wheelscarried thereby adapted to engage sheets traveling over said sheetadvancing means to heighten the tractive effort of said means, andmounting means for said supporting bar permitting4 movement of the bartoward and away from said side guide and permitting a variation in theangle between the bar and the side guide.

11. In a feed table of the type having sheet feeding and supportingrollers extending diagonally thereof, a sheet guide. at one side of thetable and having a ange overhanging the same, a ball retaining platehaving openings therein to hold sheet engaging balls inoperativerelation verally and longitudinally with respect to said table.,I 12,-In a feed table of the type having sheet feeding and supportingrollers extending diagonally thereof, a sheet guide' at one side of thetable and having a flange overhanging the same, a ball retaining platehaving openings therein to hold sheet engaging balls in operativerelation with said rollers, said plate being flared upwardly at one endto guide the sheets thereunder, and means for detachably securing theplate on said flange and providing for adjustment of the plate and saidballs laterally and longitudinally with respect to said table.

13. In a feed table, a series of lcylindrical driven sheet supportingand feeding rollers extending diagonally thereof, a sheet guide adaptedto be mounted adjacent one side of the table, means adapted to adjustthe sheet guide transversely of the table at right angles to said sidethereof, rotatable sheet engaging devices cooperating with the sheetsupporting `and feeding rollers, and holders for the rotatable sheetengaging devices, said holders being mounted on the sheet guide andadapted for adjustment to shift said rotatable devices and aline themwith said rollers when the sheet guide is adjusted as aforesaid.

14. In a feed table, a seriesof cylindrical driven sheet supporting andfeeding rollers extending vdiagonally thereof, a sheet guide adapted tobe mounted adjacent one side of the table, means adapted to adjust thesheet guide transversely of the table at right angles to said sidethereof,

CERTIFICATE or CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1, 973, 749.

September 18, 1934.

IosEPH CoNN- DAWSON.

lt is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 4,line 55, claim 5, after "table,"

insert the word of; and line 57, same claim, for "of" read or;

and that the said Letters Patentr should be read with these correctionstherein that the same may conform to the record of the Case in thePatent Office.

Signed and sealed this .9th day of October, A. D. 1934.

(Seal) Leslie Frazer gaging devices, said holders being mounted on thesheet guide and adapted for adjustment to shift said rotatable devicesand aline them with said rollers when the sheet guide is adjusted asaforesaid.

14. In a feed table, a seriesof cylindrical driven sheet supporting andfeeding rollers extending vdiagonally thereof, a sheet guide adapted tobe mounted adjacent one side of the table, means adapted to adjust thesheet guide transversely of the table at right angles to said sidethereof,

CERTIFICATE or CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1, 973, 749.

September 18, 1934.

IosEPH CoNN- DAWSON.

lt is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 4,line 55, claim 5, after "table,"

insert the word of; and line 57, same claim, for "of" read or;

and that the said Letters Patentr should be read with these correctionstherein that the same may conform to the record of the Case in thePatent Office.

Signed and sealed this .9th day of October, A. D. 1934.

(Seal) Leslie Frazer

